Pumpkin Coconut Pancakes (GF)

I don’t think anyone disagrees that brunch was a wonderful invention. The word ‘brunch’ first appeared in print in the late 1800s by the British author Guy Beringer, who put it perfectly: “It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week”. Yes. What I like even more about the history of brunch is that it really became popular in the U.S. post WWII, when more and more women were working full-time and thus deserved a little break (maybe even a cocktail!) on Sunday. Women (and men) could dine out, and just relax the morning and afternoon away with good food and friends. Even though I’m an early riser, and generally enjoy a light breakfast to start my day, that never stops me from indulging in a mid-day meal, particularly when it involves delicious food, coffee, and good company.

Despite my deep appreciation for brunch, I rarely make it myself. It’s typically a meal I reserve for going out to restaurants, or eating at my relatives’ houses on holidays. And due to my dietary preferences/restrictions, that often limits what I can eat at brunch. There aren’t too many restaurants that offer gluten-free or dairy-free eggs benedict or french toast. So I typically eat omelets, scrambles, and vegetable hashes, which are always delicious, but don’t quite fulfill my sweet-tooth craving. As you can guess, this led me to a new mission of creating my own sweet brunch recipe, and aptly fall-themed: pumpkin pancakes!

I can’t say that I’m ready for summer to end, but I will say that pumpkins (and pumpkin-flavored foods) are on my favorite parts of fall. This may be hereditary, given the fact that my sister has an entire Pumpkin Party every October! There is something so lovely about that sweet yet savory taste of pumpkin, that works in all kinds of baked goods, drinks, salads, and stews. Yummm. Not only was this my first time using pumpkin in a pancake recipe, but also my first time making a gluten-free and dairy-free pancake. I decided to use coconut flour, because you need very little of it at all, which results in a fluffy and syrup-absorbing pancake. The blend of spices, pumpkin, maple, and coconut give this pancake enough flavor that you hardly need toppings at all, but that shouldn’t stop you, if you are so inclined. As you see from the photos, I went with a decadent topping combination of banana, maple syrup, walnuts, and chocolate chips! An excellent choice to complement the much-adored pumpkin.

So feel free to cook this up for your next in-home brunch, or just make a few pancakes for yourself as an anytime-of-day-treat! It is about as nutritious as sweet brunch foods go, and tastes anything but. I am currently devouring my 2nd helping as I type this blog post… 🙂 Happy Brunching and Pumpkin Fall!

Ingredients (makes 8 pancakes):

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (divided)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger

Directions:

1. Mix pumpkin, almond milk, syrup, eggs, 1 tbsp coconut oil, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use electric mixer to beat well and remove any clumps.
2. Whisk together coconut flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
3. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat well with electric mixer.
4. Heat 1/2 tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
5. Scoop 1/4 cup servings of pumpkin batter and drop into skillet (4 can fit in large skillet). Let cook for about 3 minutes and then use spatula to carefully flip. Let cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown on each side.
6. Repeat with next 4 servings.
7. Serve with desired toppings. My recommendation: maple syrup, banana, pecans/walnuts, and chocolate chips!